A man who was acquitted in the notorious 1985 Air India bombing case was gunned down in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday morning, according to witnesses.
Mounties said they were called to a shooting in the city’s Newton neighbourhood, near 128 Street and 82 Avenue, just before 9:30 a.m.
A man was found suffering from gunshot wounds and died at the scene, despite officers’ attempts to provide medical care.
Witnesses at the scene identified the victim as Ripudaman Singh Malik of Vancouver.
Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were acquitted in March 2005 of murder and conspiracy charges in the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, which killed 329 people, and the failed bombing of a second flight that killed two more.
The Crown had alleged the men were seeking revenge for the Indian government's 1984 raid of the Golden Temple as it tried to flush out armed militants from Sikhism's holiest place of worship in Amritsar.
Surrey RCMP have not commented on the identity of the man killed Thursday, but said the incident appears to be targeted.
A suspect vehicle was found fully engulfed in flames in the 122000 block of 82 Avenue.
Police are searching for possible suspects in the shooting, and for a second vehicle that may have been used as a getaway vehicle.
Authorities said the investigation is still in its early stages, and any further information will be provided by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
(with files from CTV News Vancouver)